Lightweight Crews to Open Fall Season with Head of the Housatonic

Oct 10, 2008

Oct. 10, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -
The Yale men's lightweight crew will race this Saturday for the first time since taking third at IRA Nationals in June. The presence of the class of 2011, the second class in a row to take gold at Eastern Sprints, on the varsity team will certainly be felt as the Bulldogs take part in the 14th annual Head of the Housatonic. The event is hosted by the New Haven Rowing Club and will be raced on Yale's home course in Derby, Conn.

The men's collegiate eight, beginning at 12:20 p.m., will be a mix of lightweight and heavyweight crews from throughout the Northeast. The Yale lightweights will also be racing at 9:55 a.m. in the open men's pairs and again at 3:10 p.m. in the collegiate men's four. Head coach Andy Card hopes to use these racing opportunities to prepare for the upcoming Head of the Charles.

The lightweights will head to Boston for the Oct. 18 weekend to race at the 44th installment of that race. Many see the Head of the Charles as the most important competition of the fall season. It is, without a doubt, easily the most competitive race of the fall season. It will feature most East Coast college crews along with national team and international crews. The following weekend will see the Yale lightweights in Princeton, N.J. for the Princeton Chase on Oct. 26.

Captain Daniel Ensslen '09 is excited to kick off the fall racing season and hopes to build on last year's performances. At last year's Housatonic, the Yale lightweights raced in the Men's Open 2-s, 8+s, and Freshman 8+s events, finishing first in the 2-s, second in the Open 8+, and third in the Freshman 8+.